Gudbrandsjuvet is a narrow gorge where the Valldøla river forces itself through a gap just 5 metres wide and about 25 metres deep. It is located about 15 kilometres up the valley from Valldal, on road 63 towards Trollstigen.
The gorge is named after a man called Gudbrand, who according to a local legend from the 1500s ran off with his bride and was chased by her angry family. He escaped by jumping across the gorge at its narrowest point. His pursuers could not follow, so they assumed he was dead. Gudbrand was declared an outlaw and supposedly spent the rest of his life in a stone hut in the side valley above. The story does not mention whether his bride made the jump with him.
Over thousands of years, glacial meltwater has carved deep potholes and intricate formations into the rock here. There is hardly another place in Norway where you will find so many large kettle-holes in one spot. The viewing platform was designed by Jensen & Skodvin architects and built in 2007 as part of the National Tourist Route. It is made from laser-cut steel, cantilevered around the cliff edge, and was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award. It is wheelchair accessible.
There is a café right at the water's edge, open in summer. Free parking on both sides of the road. Be aware that this stop gets very busy with tour buses around midday.
The gorge is named after a man called Gudbrand, who according to a local legend from the 1500s ran off with his bride and was chased by her angry family. He escaped by jumping across the gorge at its narrowest point. His pursuers could not follow, so they assumed he was dead. Gudbrand was declared an outlaw and supposedly spent the rest of his life in a stone hut in the side valley above. The story does not mention whether his bride made the jump with him.
Over thousands of years, glacial meltwater has carved deep potholes and intricate formations into the rock here. There is hardly another place in Norway where you will find so many large kettle-holes in one spot. The viewing platform was designed by Jensen & Skodvin architects and built in 2007 as part of the National Tourist Route. It is made from laser-cut steel, cantilevered around the cliff edge, and was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award. It is wheelchair accessible.
There is a café right at the water's edge, open in summer. Free parking on both sides of the road. Be aware that this stop gets very busy with tour buses around midday.